Is it possible to have a single photon ionize an atom of Francium?

[Ralphonsicus]

Is the ionization energy of Francium to high to be achieved with just one photon?

And another quick question, how hot must the light-emitter get before it begins to emit x-rays, and then how hot for gamma rays?

 

[mathman]

For the first question, ionization depends on the energy of one photon, not the total energy (photoelectric effect) so the answer is yes if the photon energy is high enough.

I aam not sure what you have in mind for the second question - define light-emitter.

 

[Ralphonsicus]

For the first question, ionization depends on the energy of one photon, not the total energy (photoelectric effect) so the answer is yes if the photon energy is high enough.

I aam not sure what you have in mind for the second question - define light-emitter.

So there is no limit to a photon's energy?

And when I say light emitter, I mean like the equivalent of tungsten in a light bulb. For something to emit x-rays/gamma rays, what temperature must they reach?

 

[AdrianTheRock]

T = E / k_B

Plug in the appropriate energy of the photon and the appropriate value of Boltzmann's constant according to the system of units you are using - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boltzmann_constant.

 

[mathman]

So there is no limit to a photon's energy?

And when I say light emitter, I mean like the equivalent of tungsten in a light bulb. For something to emit x-rays/gamma rays, what temperature must they reach?

There is no theoretical limit on photon energy - the practical limit is defined by processes which can produce them.

To get x-rays and gamma rays you need different processes - simply heating things up won't work, since things would melt or vaporize before you got high enough temperature.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_ray